This course is suitable for all those looking for ways to leverage profound and lasting change throughout organisations, partnerships or communities – including leaders, managers and change agents within the ‘system’ itself, and those external consultants and facilitators who work with them.

This course has no pre-requisite. Those who have attended Group Facilitation Methods will expand and deepen their understanding of the ToP approach, and others will gain insight into the foundations of the approach.

Questions this course answers

“How can I know where to start in introducing change to a complex social system like an organisation, so that it will take root, and hold? How can I engage stakeholders effectively in the process, in such a way as to generate creativity and innovation, build ownership and commitment, and ensure results? How can I help us all to take the most comprehensive and long-term, strategic view, so that our efforts make the difference that we are seeking?”

What you will gain

This course will enable you to:

understand complex social and organisational dynamics

see systems and change processes more clearly

discover leverage points for change

recognise alignment and dissonance in values

explore the vision and reveal hidden assumptions

plot a journey through “phases” of development

understand the wider context of otherwise intractable obstacles

focus a group’s energy for the most powerful impact

develop strategies for effective change management

The course introduces two powerful models for understanding, and so changing, organisations and other social systems.

The Social Process model is perhaps the most comprehensive, whole system, diagnostic tool available today for understanding organisational and social dynamics.

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The Organisational Journey map explores the intentional evolution of an organisation or other system from one “phase” to another.

Learning style

The course presents both theory and tools in a practical and participatory way, using a combination of short interactive presentations with real-life examples, and small group exercises with facilitated group reflection and discussion. Participants will have the opportunity to apply the tools to real-life scenarios of their own. Course materials will be provided in a comprehensive course workbook.